Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas (8) celebrates with first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) (Photo: Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports)
NEW YORK – Eric Hosmer called it “playing with house money,” but his aggressive move that essentially won the World Series for the Kansas City Royals on Sunday night was more like a calculated bit of baseball brilliance.
The Royals’ 7-2, 12-inning victory in Game 5 locked down their first title in 30 years, a result that seemed inevitable once they seized a 3-1 Series lead.
If not for Hosmer’s daring ninth-inning dash home from third base, however, the Royals likely would have spent Tuesday sweating out a Game 6 at Kauffman Stadium rather than riding on parade floats through Kansas City’s Power and Light District.
Hosmer has been a champion before. He was a first-team American Family Insurance ALL-USA player as a senior in 2008 as American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) went 31-2 to finish to No. 1 in the Super 25. He was then selected by the Royals with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft that June. Hosmer drove in six runs in the World Series.
“You go through all the ups and downs — and we’ve had our share of downs — then you make it this point and you just appreciate it so much,” Hosmer says. “The organization had a vision and we’ve reached that vision.”
Mike Moustakas hit 52 homers in four seasons at Chatsworth, Calif. (Photo: Andy Holzman)
The Royals also have another ALL-USA player in Mike Moustakas. He was the starting shortstop as a freshman on the 2004 Chatsworth, Calif., team that went 35-0 to finish as the No. 1 team in the Super 25 high school baseball rankings. He hit 52 homers in his career at Chatsworth and was an American Family Insurance ALL-USA first-team player in 2007, his senior year. He was then drafted with the No. 2 overall pick. Moustakas hit .304 and drove in three runs in the series against the Mets.
Fast forward to Citi Field on Sunday:
After Hosmer’s RBI double halved the Royals’ deficit to 2-1 and chased Mets starter Matt Harvey, he found himself at third base with one out and catcher Salvador Perez facing Jeurys Familia.
But in a split-second, Hosmer processed countless bits of information – from the game situation, to the Royals’ copious advanced scouting reports, and even the state of this World Series.
“I tried my best to check him, try to freeze him at third, but obviously that’s tough to do when there’s nobody over there covering,” said Wright, who was rightfully concerned about the Royals’ notoriously aggressive baserunning. Still, he had little recourse but to throw to first.
Hosmer says the Royals’ “first instinct is to be aggressive. We always try to find ways to get the edge, especially on the basepaths.”
And so as Wright turned to throw, Hosmer said he decided to take a chance.
In the Royals’ dugout, there was surprise, but not shock. Keeping a lead foot on the gas pedal is the club’s default setting, even when it’s their first baseman running and not one of the many more fleet-footed runners.
Eric Hosmer was an ALL-USA first-team player in 2007 at American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.). (Photo: Michael Laughlin, South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
Still, Hosmer is no slug.
“Hos just has a way of going from a standstill to breaking quickly,” said second baseman Ben Zobrist. “He’s quick – much quicker than most first basemen.”
And so Hosmer, knowing the Royals had a 3-1 Series lead – that aforementioned house money – took off with little to lose, and a championship to gain.
Said Hosmer: “That’s the fastest I’ve ever felt. I don’t know if it’s the fastest I’ve ever ran.”
Duda caught Hosmer’s break out of the corner of his eye. Hosmer’s jump was so good that an above-average throw would be necessary.
Duda yanked his throw wide of the plate. Hosmer slid home and retreated to a pack of stunned, jubilant teammates.
The score was tied, and the Royals’ peerless bullpen still had plenty of juice left. New York matched zeroes with Kansas City in the 10th and 11th before the dam finally burst in a five-run 12th.
The celebration was on, made possible by a dash of bravado hours earlier.
“His youth and his instincts took over,” reliever Ryan Madson said of Hosmer, “and that’s why he’s a champion.”
USA TODAY High School Sports contributed to this story